Vision Girl
by Bellatrixia
Summary: What if Aphrodite had a vision about Zoey before she arrived? She is already aware of something sinister going on with her High Priestess, but what if it has something to do with the new girl? - Slightly OOC for the Marked, but not for later books.
1. The Beginning

**Okay, so this is my first story. Ive been trying to write stuff for ages and my brain would not help me, but now this has come out. Finally!**

**Im not sure how good this is, I havent had a chance to go over it yet, Ive been pretty busy. There are probably quite a few spelling mistakes so just let me know if you spot any.**

**Oh, and just so you know, I left out the part with Aphrodite and Erik in the hallway, although it was a good scene I felt that I wanted to focus more on her visions and stuff rather than her being all weird with Zoey about Erik. If that makes sense.**

**Ok, I hope you like this :)**

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><p>Holding my head high, I walked quietly through the mess of fledglings that seemed to permanently reside in the common room of the girls down. I was trying to get to my room as quickly as I could without drawing attention to myself; which was seriously a hard thing to do. I mean, hello! Its not like someone this beautiful could go anywhere and not get noticed, and usually I didnt mind it, hell usually I encouraged it. Whats the point in being Chosen by Nyx if you dont get noticed for it?<p>

But not today.

Right now, I needed space. I needed quiet, calm, and a damn Advil.

Ok, so being Chosen by Nyx isnt all its cracked up to be. Visions are crappy. They make me dizzy, and tired, and sometimes they make me wanna hurl. But no one ever sees that side of things. Only a select few I can trust, and even that group was becoming smaller, after Venus had died.

I had almost made it through to the dorms when Neferet floated through the main doors and announced to the room "Ladies, this is Zoey Redbird. Greet her and welcome her to the House of Night."

The name hung in the air around me, whispering through my mind. I had heard it before.

Quickly, before Neferet had seen me stading near the stairs, I slid into one of the clustered seating areas that surrounded the Tv closest to me. No one even noticed me, they were all staring at the new fledgeling. I took a deep breath to compose myself, before standing and walking towards Zoey.

Of course I knew straight away that she was different from the average fledgeling, her filled in mark said that much. But there was something else, something I couldnt quite put my finger on.

"Hi Zoey. Welcome to your new home." I plastered on a smile, something that was becoming more and more normal for me; you can hide anything if you fake a smile. Everyone around me was gawking at her mark, so I made an effort to keep my eyes on hers and try to be friendly. "Im Aphrodite."

Her eyes flickered for a moment, before she smiled and said a little too enthusiastically, "Hi Aphrodite!"

Her voice lingered, just like her name had before. Had I met this girl before? Surely I would have remembered.

I knew something for sure, I had a bad feeling about this girl. Well, no. Not about her actually. I just knew I had to get her away from our 'High Priestest' as fast as I could, something wasnt right, I could feel it; and my feelings were usually true. "Neferet, would you like me to show Zoey to her room?" I broke eye contact with Zoey and stared at Neferet, silently willing her to show her true nature. Of course I couldnt show that I didnt believe the facade.

For months now, I had been feeling strange about Neferet, but anytime I tried to tell someone I got a weird feeling. Not like the ones I usually got, about visions and stuff. No this feeling was different, like someone had just hit me in the stomach. It was clear and it was specific, and it was telling me to shut up. It was worse around Neferet, I even starting getting the feeling after visions when I tried to tell her what had happened. Something was telling me to keep certain things about the visions to myself, so I did. It felt like shit, but I had always trusted my gut instincts before, so why should it be any different around a High Priestess.

But then I had heard things, whispers in my sleep. I thought it was more stupid vision stuff at first, but after a while I recognised Neferets voice. She was calling to someone, telling them that the time was coming for him to wake. I couldnt tell if they were simply dreams or if it was actually happening, but something had changed with her, something that wasnt good.

Of course I couldnt show that I didnt believe the facade. Not around her anyway.

I could see Zoey looking at me from the corner of my eye and so I smiled towards Neferet, and waited.

"Thank you, Aphrodite, that would be lovely. I am Zoeys mentor, but Im sure she would feel much more welcomed if someone her own age showed her the way to her room."

Her mentor?

I got that feeling again, sharp and strong and painful.

"Of course Id be happy to show her around! You know Im always glad to help you, Neferet."

Our pretense gone, Neferet simply nodded towards me before turning again to Zoey. "Ill leave you now Zoey." She reached out her hand and sqeezed her shoulder, while I resisted the urge to pull them apart. But apparently, Zoey didnt see anything wrong with the overly-friendly way Neferet smiled at her. Then she turned and nodded once more to the girls all watching and left the room, the door making a gentle 'thud' as she left.

I turned my attention back to Zoey, "Come on, Zoey. The rooms are this way."

The walk was silent. I didnt know what to say, yet there were so many things I wanted to talk about.

I wanted to tell her not to trust Neferet, no matter what other people may say. I wanted to tell her about the visions I had been having about her that werent like my normal visions. For some reason, I wanted to tell this girl about everything, but I knew I couldnt.

Not that I thought she would tell anyone, she didnt look like the sort of person to blab secrets. No, I couldnt tell because of the vamps ability to read minds. Especally Neferet. So instead I put on the stone cold, bitchy exterier that everyone was so used to seeing and lead the way silently to her room.

"The dorm seems nice. I mean, its really pretty here."

I didnt know what to say. I glaced at her out of the corner of my eye and noticed her staring at me. Well then. Time to be a stuck up bitch. "Its better than nice or really pretty here; its amazing."

"Oh. Well. Thats good to hear."

"Its amazing here mostly because of me." I waited for a moment for my words to sink in, and as her eyes slid to mine I gave her my best evil stare. "Yeah, you heard me right. This place is cool because Im cool." She turned away and I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself and make sense of the words that were now spinning inside my head.

I stopped outside her door, blocking the way so she couldnt move past me while I spoke. "Okay, heres the deal, Zoey. You have this weird Mark, so everyones taling about you and wondering what the fuck is up with you. 'Ooh the new girl has a coloured-in Mark! Whatever could that mean? Is she special? Does she have fabulous powers? Oh my- oh my!'" Hell, even I had been thinking stuff like that. Not that I would ever tell anyone, especially not the girl herself. "Heres whats what. Im 'It' here. Things go my way. You want to get along here, then youd best remember that. If you dont, youll be in for a world of shit."

I thought she would be like every other fledgeling around here and just lap it all up and go on her way, but she surprised me by fighting back, not showing the slightest hint of being scared of me. "Look, I just got here. Im not looking for trouble, and I have no control over what people are saying about my Mark."

For a second I was so shocked by her sudden outburst that I almost forgot about everything else. Maybe this girl was different after all. "Good. Just so we understand each other."

I turned and knocked on the door, waited for Stevie Rae to reply, then pushed the door open.

"Hi y'all! Ohmygosh, come on in." Stevie Rae hurried towards us but stopped when I fixed her with a mean glare. My headache was becoming worse and worse, and her high okie voice wasnt helping at all.

"I brought your new roommate to you." Without realizing it, I had put on a stupid OTT okie accent to match hers. I didnt want to be hateful, but it just seemed to come to naturally when I was in this mood. "Stevie Rae Johnson this is Zoey Redird. Zoey Redbird this is Stevie Rae Johnson. There, now aint we all nice and cozy like three little corns on a cob?"

I turned towards Stevie Rae, who seriously looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I rolled my eyes. Deep down, I wanted to say something that would make her feel better, I really did hate being a bitch sometimes. But I knew I couldnt. The second I started being nice to people I wasnt normally nice to, Neferet would know something was up, and she would be on my ass 24/7.

Before I could leave the room in a huff like I had planned, Zoey started towards me and I stepped back. "Thanks for showing me up here, Aphrodite." She said quickly, her hand reaching for the door. "See you around." She slammed the door in my face, leaving me alone standing in the hall looking like an idiot.

Through the thin wood of the door I overheard the conversation between them.

"Shes...Shes..."

"Shes a bitch!"

Thanks.

"Shes not very nice, thats for sure."

"She needs pharmaceutical help, thats for sure."

Well, at least she had one thing right. Now more than ever, I needed space. I needed quiet, calm, and a goddamn Advil.

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><p><strong>Good? Bad? Please review so I can get better :)<strong>


	2. Full Moon Ritual

**I didnt think I get this chapter up so soon, but I spent ages writing last night so all I had to do was copy it onto the computer. Im a little like Zoey and Loren, in that I prefer to write things rather than type them first, makes it feel a little more personal I think :)**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter :) Let me know if you think I should change/add anything. **

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><p>Honestly, sometimes I feel like Nyx hates me. Why else would she interrupt my perfectly wonderful dreams with a crappy vision, that makes zero sense, and makes me feel like shit?<p>

It started out like one of my regular dreams; Im in a swimming pool, in a beautiful garden so big I cant even see the house properly from here, and there is a seriously stunning looking guy walking towards me, when suddenly everything goes black.

And Im not talking 'turn off the lights and the room gets darker' kind of black; its darkness so thick I cant even see an inch in front of my face.

Thats when I knew the vision had started. So I took a deep breath and waited to see what sort of human tragedy I could be witnessing this time, but nothing happened. Instead, I heard the whispering again. I couldnt understand what was being said, it was too muffled - like when your underwater and someone is trying to talk to you, but you can only understand a few bits. It still gave me shivers. Something was definitely not right it.

I heard Zoey mentioned and remembered earlier in the main room of the dorms, when I had heard Neferet announce her arrival. I thought Id heard her name before, which I must have heard in a vision. I tried to think if I had ever heard any other names before - maybe this was how the Trackers knew who to mark, and I had somehow tapped into it. But I couldnt remember ever hearing any other name, and why would Zoey be mentioned again if she was already marked and here? No, that couldnt be it.

I listened again, trying to pick out any words as a clue.

'Threat'

'Dark Daughters'

'Human'

'Ritual'

'Blood!'

The last one was almost a hiss, and I got that strange feeling in my stomach again. I just wanted this stupid vision to be over.

And then the whispering stops, and the darkness lifts almost as if it had never happened. Im back in the swimming pool in the beautiful garden, with the stunning guy still headed towards me.

But Im not looking at him now. My eyes focus on the bloody Dark Daughters pendant lying just out of reach at the edge of the pool.

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><p>First period passed quickly just like every other day. In my opinion it should be longer, its the only lesson I like. I had Spells and Rituals with Professor Anastasia, which is always fun. Id only been in her class for a year - since Id become the leader of the Dark Daughters - but already I felt like I knew so much. I think it helped that Anastasia was my favourite teacher, and I spent so much more time with her so I could learn more about the Rituals I had to perform and not make a complete ass of myself.<p>

The bell rang and i packed up my books and stored them away in my locker. mine really stood out a lot since Id decorated it - there were no rules about them looking dorky after all, and none of the Vamps had said anything so Id assumed it was ok. So anyways, I was taking me time sorting out my books - my lockers was pretty, so it made sense to keep it tidy - when I felt a coldness that had sadly become familiar over the last few months.

"Merry meet, Neferet." I said smoothly as I turned to face her, another sickly sweet smile plastered on my face.

"Merry meet, Aphrodite." The coldness that surrounded her seemed to spread through me with her voice. Before I had a chance to make an excuse to leave, she continued, and her words made me freeze. "I wish for you to extend an invitation to Zoey, to join the Dark Daughters. Make her feel welcome. I have a feeling she will do well within the group."

The whispers from my vision wee suddenly all I could think of. They had mentioned Zoey, and the Dark Daughters too. And a threat. To who? Would she be in danger if she joined? Or maybe her joining posed a threat to someone within the group. Whatever it all meant, I knew in my heart that I had to do everything I could to keep her out of the Dark Daughters. But how could I do that when her mentor, the High Priestess, specifically picked her? If I outright refused she would know something wasnt right.

"Of course, Id be happy to invite Zoey. Im sure she'll enjoy it just as much as I do!" I smiled and thanked the Goddess that she couldnt read my mind like every other fledgling, my thoughts were going bat-shit crazy as I tried to work out how to get Zoey out of this. "Would you like to ask her yourself or should I?"

"I'll leave that to you, I think she will take it better from a fellow fledgling, and she wont think Im trying to force her into it." Which she so obviously was!

She laughed then. A quiet tinkling laugh, like the sound of bells, and even I would have bought her act - if I hadnt noticed the small flicker of Darkness in her eyes.

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><p>I didnt pay much attention to my next lesson, I was too preoccupied trying to think of how to get Zoey not to join the Dark Daughters, without actually telling her not to join. If Neferet could read her mind, she would know if I said that, or if I just didnt ask her in the first place. I had to be careful till I knew more about Zoey. But she already seemed to hate me, so she probably wouldnt even listen to me anyway.<p>

I suppose I could use my position as resident Bitch to try and scare her out. If I made her feel uncomfortable, like she didnt belong there, then she wouldnt want to join in the first place right?

My plan in place - well in theory at least - I went through my mental checklist for tonight Full Moon Ritual. Id already got some of the Dark Sons to cover the games and stuff in the rec room, and food was already arranged for afterwards. So I needed the five element candles, and lots of little candles for the outside of the circle. I also needed to arrange the table for Nyx but I always did that just before the Ritual, I found it helped me to calm down and prepare myself, and also I felt closer to Nyx when I did it myself. I could get that done in my free period at the end of the day and still have time to change before Neferet' Ritual, so that I would be ready for mine afterwards.

One more thing.

I still have to invite Zoey.

Like my day could get any worse.

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><p>Well obviously it could. Zoey accepted the invite. Now what the hell was I meant to do? I had to stop her from becoming a member somehow, I had to make her feel like she didnt belong there.<p>

I was just leaving my last class when I literally ran smack into Elliot. Well actually, he ran into me.

My bitch senses flared automatically, "Hey, watch it!" before I thought of something. Something that might just scare Zoey away.

"Oh sorry Elliot." I smiled sweetly though I was dying to hurl, this kid seriously stinks. "I was actually just looking for you. I was wondering if you wanted to join us for the Dark Daughters Full Moon Ritual tonight."

He shrugged his massive shoulders and started to walked past me. "Sure."

"But I have a special job for you, so come early, ok?"

Again, he simply shrugged. "Sure."

Damn, the kid was hopeless. But he would do.

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><p>Having taken too long to arrange the table for Nyx, I was now running late for Neferet' Ritual. I made it just in time, just before the doors were shut, and hurried up to Anastasia.<p>

"Merry meet, Aphrodite. Your late." She admonished, but I could see the sparkle in her eye that told me she wasnt mad.

"I know, Im sorry. I was talking to Nyx." Which wasnt exactly a lie. I had been talking while I filled the table with fruit and wine. It had become a habit really, which is why I never allowed anyone else to be in the room when I did it. Sometimes I felt like an idiot talking to myself, but sometimes I swear I heard Nyx talking to me too.

"A wise thing to do, the Goddess is always listening." Anastasia smiled at me as she traced a pentagram over my Mark. "Blessed be."

"Blessed be."

As I entered the main room of the temple, I scanned the room looking for Zoey. I dont actually know why, I just knew I should.

I walked around the circle until I was opposite her, standing close to my 'friends' within the circle.

Music started and I watched as Neferet entered the circle. Now, she may have her faults - that, sadly, only I seemed to notice - but she sure knew how to keep everyone watching. I could see why some people would be fooled by her. She finished her dance just as the music ended and offered a greeting to the room, which I automatically replied to. But somehow I wasnt feeling the same today, I didnt feel the excitement that Full Moon Rituals usually brought me.

As we all turned east, I looked towards Zoey again. Something made me keep looking.

As Neferet started to evoke Air, I watched the air around Zoey change. Her hair lifted and her clothes looked like they were blowing in a strong wind. What was happening?

I couldnt see her when Fire was called to the circle, but I hard her small gasp and knew something had to have happened.

When I turned again I immediately looked for her in the circle, and noticed how flushed she looked. Water was summoned, and Zoey smiled brightly as she looked around her feet. What was she seeing?

I didnt need to see her when Earth was called, I knew by her short laugh that again something had happened. Was it her mark? Was it making her see the elements?

When Spirit was finally called, she lifted her arms briefly and held her hands to her chest. What was going on with her?

I wasnt really paying much attention to the Ritual after that. I watched Zoey, and noticed how she looked around her as she straightened her wind mussed hair, obviously trying to see if anyone else had felt anything. But everyone was focused on Neferet.

As I stared at her, I knew what had happened. I felt it in my heart, and somehow knew it would be true.

Zoey Redbird has an affinity for the Five elements.

Well thats just great!

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><p><strong>: It got a little mixed up towards the end, my sister was pestering me to get off the computer even though she has been on near enough all day, so I had to rush it. **

**Let me know what you think :) **


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